1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to an internal water dispenser arrangement provided in a fresh food compartment of a bottom mount style refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Various styles of refrigerators are available on the market today. The most common styles include side-by-side, top mount and bottom mount refrigerators. A side-by-side refrigerator is characterized as having a freezer compartment which is located laterally adjacent a fresh food compartment; a top mount refrigerator includes a freezer compartment arranged vertically above a fresh food compartment; and a bottom mount refrigerator has a fresh food compartment disposed above a freezer compartment. In each of these styles of refrigerator, it is known to provide an ice and/or water dispenser that is directly accessible from outside of the refrigerator. Certainly, given the difference in temperatures of the fresh food and freezer compartments, it is intuitive to dispense ice from the freezer side and water from the fresh food side. However, it is typical to provide only a single dispenser arranged in the freezer door for a side-by-side refrigerator or in the fresh food door for a top mount style refrigerator. In general, bottom mount refrigerators are restricted to water dispensers in the fresh food door.
Regardless of the type of refrigerator, providing an external dispenser means that the water line must be routed into one of the refrigerator doors, wherein the water in the line is subjected to somewhat higher temperatures. This arrangement results in water being dispensed at temperatures at least slightly greater than potentially available. To this end, there is a need to locate a refrigerator water dispenser in a non-obtrusive, yet readily accessible, position within a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator in order to enable the dispensing of water at a lower temperature. More specifically, there is considered to be a particular need for a water dispenser in a side wall of the fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator wherein water can be dispensed at an optimal temperature and vertical position from the bottom mount refrigerator.
The present invention is directed to an internal water dispenser for a bottom mount refrigerator. More specifically, a dispenser for cold, potable water is located on an interior side wall of a fresh food compartment of a bottom mount refrigerator. The interior side wall is preferably opposite a hinge side of a door for the fresh food compartment such that the dispenser is arranged to be readily accessible to the consumer upon initially opening the fresh food door.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a water line is connected to a supply system in a lower rear machine compartment of the refrigerator. Water flows through a replaceable filter cartridge which is also accessible from within the fresh food compartment and then to a cold water reservoir located behind storage drawers provided in the fresh food compartment. Water is routed from the reservoir to the dispenser through a conduit located along, and preferably directly behind, the side wall of the fresh food compartment. Dispensing occurs when a consumer causes a button of the dispenser to be depressed, thereby opening a solenoid valve. Because the water is routed entirely within a cabinet of the refrigerator, the water dispensed is quite cold.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.